Councillor Richter,

A couple quick questions, do you have an approximate breakdown of how much of the ad space was the Township page versus additional ad costs like the leisure guide (rec center guide) and other on-offs that we see elsewhere in the paper?

Also, I seem to remember that the Township page used to be just that a page, now it is always two pages. Was that a necessary thing as the result of more development proposals etc.. or just because it made for easier layouts? The doubling of pages would explain the increase in costs and may not be necessary.

To answer you question, I read the Township page and find it a useful way to find out what is happening. I'm not sure how you could replace it and hit that many eyes.

Blair
Blair | 02.24.06 - 8:51 am | #

Hi Blair:

Good questions! As I understand it, these numbers do NOT include the Parks & Rec Leisure Guides. These numbers are only for all the advertisements that you see in the local newspapers.

Apparently, we have a lot more than 1 page per newspaper. It seems that we have up to 3 or 4 pages at times per newspaper.

Is it worth it? That's up to you, me and all of us taxpayers to answer.

I personally think this cost is way over the top. This is just one more example of the out-of-control spending that I've been talking about for years.

Do we really need to advertise this much? Maybe we should put this out to tender every year and give it to the one paper that's the lowest bidder (in keeping with free enterprise). Bet you we'll save at least $1 million over a 10 year period.

Thanks for your comment, Kim.
Kim Richter | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 9:15 am | #

Is advertising really necessay? I don't understand why we need to spend so much. I'm having a tough time paying my hydro bills and putting gas in my car - if I have to pay more for property taxes just for this it doesn't make sense.
Connie | 02.24.06 - 10:43 am | #

Betcha the local papers, especially the Langley Times, won't cover the rocketing dollar increases that Councillor Kim Richter published here! Our big question is why is the Times getting 70% of $350k annually? How come the Advance hasn't screamed about this inequity? This is another wonderful legacy from the Albert's not so silent slate. Advertising costs under their watch have almost doubled! It almost seems everything has doubled and they are now working on their Council salaries and benefits too! As well as our taxes!
Langley Free Press | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 11:47 am | #

Black press should say thankyou to prince albert and his tax and spend galleryslateOf course a bit of good press or at times silence is worth gold to a politician
Aman | 02.24.06 - 5:03 pm | #

I dont insinuate that there is any corruption taking place
Aman | 02.24.06 - 5:05 pm | #

Suggestion: Maybe the township should do all their announcments (adverts) through the two blogs now operating in Langley. I'm sure the fees would be very very low....like almost nothing.....maybe no charge?
pianoman | 02.24.06 - 5:32 pm | #

Tell them we will do it for less than $10,000 and save the taxpayers $330,000!
Langley Free Press | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 10:05 pm | #

Gomery, then Emerson..........
Direct Democracy is the logical answer. We want to vote on issues from now on. I would not matter then to which party our representative belonged to or what scandal was in the news. Initiatives (voters phrase the question) , Referenda (government phrases the question), recall (your representative) and impeachment (bring your government or representative to court) would all be possible under a Direct Democracy...

Include Nota (none of the above), and abstain on the ballot.....

Don
Don Mallais | 02.25.06 - 6:37 pm | #